940 


P 
1914 


2bl    501 


7MBHK 


Poor  Richard's  Almanack 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


POOR    RICHARD'S 
ALMANACK  /.  .'.  by 

BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN 


Selections  from  the  apothegms  and 

proverbs,  with  a  brief  sketch 

of  the  life  of  Benjamin 

Franklin. 


Published  by 

THE  U.  S.  C.  PUBLISHING  Co. 
WATERLOO,   IOWA 


Copyright,  1914 

by 
THE  U.  S.  C.  PUBLISHING  Co. 


140 


t 

LIFE  OF  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  »'  T 


Opposite  historic  Old  South  Church  in 
Boston,  on  January  6,  1706,  was  born 
Benjamin  Franklin. 

Benjamin  was  the  fifteenth  child  of 
Josiah  Franklin,  whose  occupation  was 
that  of  tallow-chandler  or  candle-maker. 
Business  was  not  prosperous,  and  the 
Franklin  family  was  reared  in  very  hum- 
ble circumstances. 

As  a  child,  Benjamin  hungered  for 
books  and  knowledge.  During  the  two 
years  that  his  father  was  able  to  send  him 
to  school,  he  showed  remarkable  aptitude 
and  industry,  and  rapidly  outdistanced 
his  fellow  pupils. 

The  first  book  which  Franklin  read  was 
Bunyan's  "Pilgrim's  Progress".  By  trad- 
ing and  borrowing,  he  managed  to  secure 
other  volumes.  His  passion  for  reading 
was  so  intense  that  he  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  a  kind-hearted  Boston  mer- 
chant, who  gave  the  boy  access  to  his 
well-stocked  library.  Franklin  read  only 
books  which  could  add  to  his  education, 
and  read  them  with  a  thoroughness  that 
extracted  every  bit  of  useful  knowledge. 

After  leaving  school,  Franklin  was  ap- 
prenticed to  his  brother  James  in  the 


6  POOR    RICHARD'S    ALMANACK. 

printing  trade.    His  wage  was  very  small 
and  he  had  to  live  most  frugally. 

James  started  a  newspaper,  and  Ben- 
jamin set  type  and  distributed  the  sheets. 
One  day,  he  anonymously  contributed 
some  verses  and  apothegms  and  was 
overjoyed  to  find  them  accepted  and  pub- 
lished. 

When  his  brother  discovered  that  he 
was  the  contributor,  an  altercation  broke 
out  between  the  two,  due  principally  to 
the  ill  temper  of  James.  The  quarrel  was 
finally  the  cause  of  Benjamin's  leaving 
Boston  and  going  to  Philadelphia. 

In  Philadelphia,  Franklin  obtained 
work  with  Keimer,  a  printer.  His  lodg- 
ings were  found  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Read, 
with  whose  pretty  daughter,  Deborah,  he 
promptly  fell  in  love.  Mrs.  Read,  how- 
ever, counselled  the  two  to  postpone  the 
marriage  until  Franklin  should  earn  suffi- 
cient to  maintain  his  own  household.  He 
was  but  eighteen  years  old  at  this  time. 

Sir  William  Keith,  governor  of  the 
province  of  Pennsylvania,  became  ac- 
quainted with  Franklin  and  offered  to  set 
him  up  in  the  printing  business.  Frank- 
lin, of  course,  accepted.  At  Keith's  sug- 
gestion, he  sailed  to  England  to  purchase 
an  up-to-date  outfit.  Arrived  there,  he 
found  that  Keith  was  without  credit.  His 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  7 

beautiful  plans  went  for  naught  and  he 
was  stranded  in  England  without  funds 
or  prospects.  It  took  him  several  years 
to  work  his  way  back  to  America. 

When  he  returned,  the  first  news  to 
greet  Franklin  was  the  marriage  of  De- 
borah Read  to  another  man. 

At  22  years  of  age,  Franklin  had  not 
made  much  progress  toward  the  goal  of 
his  ambition.  But  nothing  daunted,  he 
applied  himself  with  greater  industry, 
greater  self-sacrifice  and  greater  perse- 
verance. He  kept  plugging  away  at  his 
trade  of  printer,  and  entered  into  busi- 
ness ventures  with  other  men,  all  of 
which  proved  rapid  failures.  Finally,  he 
struck  out  for  himself.  Coincidently,  De- 
borah Read's  husband  died  and  Franklin 
took  her  to  wife. 

The  young  couple  had  to  live  on  close 
margin  for  a  few  years.  When  Franklin 
was  27  years  of  age,  he  evolved  the  idea 
which  opened  the  road  to  fame  and  for- 
tune. This  was  Poor  Richard's  Alma- 
nack. The  first  number  had  a  tremendous 
sale.  His  homely,  trite,  common-sense 
sayings  achieved  wide  popularity  and 
each  succeeding  issue  found  more  sub- 
scribers than  its  predecessor.  The  general 
recognition  and  respect  gained  for  Frank- 
lin through  the  Almanack  gave  him  the 


8  POOR   RICHARD'S    ALMANACK. 

opportunity  to  enter  public  life.  This 
sphere  of  activity  was  greatly  to  his  lik- 
ing. He  held  important  offices  and  intro- 
duced many  splendid  reforms  into  the 
municipal  government. 

Franklin's  pet  project  was  an  efficient 
institution  of  learning.  When  he  was  37 
years  old,  his  plans  materialized  into  the 
founding  of  an  academy  from  which  has 
grown  the  great  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

The  scientists  of  Europe  were  at  this 
time  becoming  aware  of  a  mysterious 
force  which  they  named  electricity.  Mus- 
schenbroeck,  a  German,  came  forth  with 
the  discovery  of  the  Ley  den  jar.  Frank- 
lin immediately  devoted  himself  to  a 
study  of  electricity.  The  subject  proved 
to  interesting,  so  full  of  possibilities  that 
he  sold  out  his  printing  business  in  order 
to  devote  his  entire  effort  to  the  new 
field.  His  business,  started  on  nothing, 
brought  the  handsome  price  of  $90,000. 

When  Franklin  declared  his  belief  that 
electricity  and  lightning  were  identical, 
the  whole  world  laughed.  He  then  made 
his  famous  kite  test,  and  proved  his  the- 
ory. This  demonstration  gained  world 
recognition  for  him  as  a  scientist  and  won 
him  many  honors. 

The  colonies  were  now  passing 
through  the  turbulent  period  preceding 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  9 

the  Revolutionary  War.  Franklin  was  a 
foremost  figure  in  public  life,  and  became 
the  commissioner  of  the  colonies  to  Eng- 
land. 

The  first  cause  for  provocation  on  the 
part  of  the  colonies  was  the  Stamp  Act, 
which  imposed  an  enormous  tax  on  deeds, 
college  degrees  and  printed  matter.  Eng- 
land sought  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the 
French-Indian  war  by  this  tax.  Frank- 
lin's efficient  representation  and  effective 
pleading  secured  its  repeal  in  1766. 

However,  one  year  later,  Parliament 
enacted  a  more  obnoxious  bill,  placing  a 
heavy  duty  on  tea,  glass  and  other  com- 
modities. Then  it  was  that  certain  indig- 
nant citizens  of  Boston  held  their  Boston 
Tea  Party  and  brought  upon  the  heads  of 
the  community  the  ill-considered,  hateful 
Boston  Port  Bill.  The  city  was  virtually 
put  in  a  state  of  seizure  by  the  British 
under  General  Gage. 

This  final  action  precipitated  the  crisis, 
and  the  Revolutionary  War  was  on.  Gage 
made  his  disastrous  march  to  Concord 
and  Lexington,  and  Bunker  Hill  ended  in 
a  triumph  for  American  pluck. 

Although  in  favor  of  settling  the  dis- 
pute by  arbitration,  Franklin  was  as 
zealous  a  patriot  as  any.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  Continental  Congress,  and 


10  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

helped  frame  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. Later  he  went  to  Paris  as  spe- 
cial envoy  to  France  for  the  colonies.  He 
was  received  with  great  acclaimation  and 
was  accorded  many  honors.  His  mission 
of  enlisting  France's  aid  in  the  struggle 
was  completely  successful.  Helped  by 
the  money  of  France  and  by  the  valor  of 
such  men  as  Lafayette,  the  Revolution 
triumphed. 

After  an  absence  from  America  of  nine 
years,  Franklin  returned.  He  was  given  a 
royal  reception.  Although  77  years  old 
now,  he  still  gave  his  country  the  best 
that  was  in  him,  until  his  death  on  April 
17,  1790.  At  his  burial  20,000  persons 
gathered  to  do  him  respect  and  honor.  • 

Franklin's  life  has  been  called  the  most 
interesting  and  the  most  successful  lived 
by  any  American.  And  the  explanation 
is  found  in  the  rule  that  guided  him 
throughout  his  career:  To  go  straight 
forward  in  doing  what  appears  to  be 
right,  leaving  the  consequences  to  Provi- 
dence. 


POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

1.  A   child   thinks   20   shillings   and   20 
years  can  scarce  ever  be  spent. 

2.  A  cold  April,  the  barn  will  fill. 

3.  A  countryman  between  two  lawyers, 
is  like  a  fish  between  two  cats. 

4.*  Act  uprightly,  and  despise  calumny; 
dirt  may  stick  to  a  mud  wall,  but  not 
to  polish'd  marble. 

5.  A   cypher   and    humility    make    the 
other  figures  and   virtues   of   tenfold 
value. 

6.  A  false  friend   and  a   shadow   attend 
only  while  the  sun  shines. 

7*  A  father's  a  treasure ;  a  brother's  a 
comfort ;  a  friend  is  both. 

8.  A  fat  kitchen,  a  lean  will. 

9.  A  fine  genius  in  his  own  country,  is 
like  gold  in  the  mine. 

10.  A  flatterer  never  seems  absurd :    The 
flatter'd  always  takes  his  word. 

11.*  After  three  days  men  grow  weary  of 
a  wench,  a  guest,  and  weather  rainy. 

12.  After  crosses   and   losses   men   grow 
humbler  and  wiser. 


12  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

13.  A  full  belly  is  the  mother  of  all  evil. 

14.  A  full  belly  makes  a  dull  brain. 

15.  A  good  example  is  the  best  sermon. 

16.  A  good  lawyer,  a  bad  neighbor. 

17.  A  good  man  is  seldom   uneasy,  an  ill 
one  never  easy. 

18.  A  house  without  woman  and  firelight, 
is  like  a  body  without  soul  or  sprite. 

19.  A   lean   award   is   better   than   a   fat 
judgment. 

20.  A  learned    blockhead    is    a    greater 
blockhead  than  an  ignorant  one. 

21.*  A  lie   stands   on   one   leg,   truth  on 
two. 

22.  A  life  of  leisure,  and  a  life  of  laziness, 
are  two  things. 

23.  A  light  purse  is  a  heavy  curse. 

24.  A  little  house  well  fill'd,  a  little  field 
well  till'd,  and  a  little  wife  well  will'd, 
are  great  riches. 

25.  All  blood  is  alike  ancient. 

26.  All  mankind  are  beholden  to  him  that 
is  kind  to  the  good. 

27.*  All  things  are  cheap  to  the  saving, 
dear  to  the  wasteful. 

28.*  All  things  are  easy  to   industry,   all 
things  difficult  to  sloth. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  It 

29.  All  would  live  long,  but  none  would 
be  old. 

30.  A  long  life  may  not  be  good  enough, 
but  a  good  life  is  long  enough. 

"31.  A  man  in  a  passion  rides  a  mad  horse. 

32.  A  man  without  a  wife,  is  but  a  half  a 
man. 

33.  A  man  without  ceremony  has  need  of 
great  merit  in  its  place. 

34.  Ambition  often  spends  foolishly  what 
avarice  had  wickedly  collected. 

35.  A  mob's   a   monster;   heads   enough, 
but  no  brains. 

36.  A  modern  wit  is  one  of  David's  fools. 

37.  An  egg  today  is  better  than  a  hen  to- 
morrow. 

38.  An  empty  bag  cannot  stand  upright. 

39.*  A  new  truth  is  a  truth,  an  old  error 
is  an  error,  though  Clodpate  won't  al- 
low either. 

40.  Anger  and  folly  walk  cheek  by  jole; 
repentance  treads  on  both  their  heels. 

41.  Anger  is  never  without  a  reason,  but 
seldom  with  a  good  one. 

42.  Anger  warms  the  invention,  but  over- 
heats the  oven. 

43.  An  honest  man    will   receive    neither 
money  nor  praise,  that  is  not  his  due. 


14  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

44.  An  hundred  thieves  cannot  strip  one 
naked  man,  especially  if  his  skin's  off. 

45.  An  ill  wound,   but   not   an  ill   name, 
may  be  healed. 

46.  An  innocent  plowman  is  more  worthy 
than  a  vicious  prince. 

47.*  Anoint  a  villian  and  he'll  stab  you; 
stab  him,  and  he'll  anoint  you. 

48.  An  old  man  in  a  house  is  a  good  sign. 

49.  An  old  young   man   will  be  a   young 
old  man. 

50.  An  ounce  of   wit   that   is   bought,   is 
worth  a  pound  that  is  taught. 

51.  An  undutiful  daughter,  will  prove  an 
unmanageable  wife. 

52.  A  pair  of  good  ears  will  drain  dry  an 
hundred  tongues. 

53.  A  plowman  on  his  legs  is  higher  than 

a  gentleman  on  his  knees. 

54.  Approve  not  of  him  that    commends 
all  you  say. 

55.  A    quarrelsome    man    has     no    good 
neighbors. 

56.  A  quiet  conscience  sleeps  in  thunder. 

57.*  Are  you  angry  that  others  disappoint 
you?  Remember  you  cannot  depend 
upon  yourself. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  li 

58.  As  charms  are  nonsense,  nonsense  is 

a  charm. 

59.  Ask  and  have,  is  sometimes  dear  buy- 
ing. 

60.  A  soft  tongue  may  strike  hard. 

61.  As  pride  increases,  fortune  declines. 

62.*  As  sore  places  meet  most  rubs,  proud 
folks  meet  most  affronts. 

63.  A  temper   to   bear   much,    will   have 

much  to  bear. 

64.  A  wicked  hero  will  turn  his  back  to 

an  innocent  coward. 

65.  As  we  must   account  for   every  idle 
word,   so   we     must   for   every    idle 
silence. 

66.  At    a    great    pennyworth,    pause    a 

while. 

67.  A  traveller  should  have  a  hog's  nose, 
deer's  legs,  and  an  ass's  back. 

68.  At  the  working  man's  house  hunger 

looks  in  but  dares  not  enter. 

69.*  At  20  years  of  age  the  will  reigns ;  at 
thirty  the  wit ;  at  40  the  judgment. 

70.  Bad  commentators  spoil   the   best   of 
books. 

71.  Bad  gains  are  truly  losses. 


16  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

72.  Bargaining   has    neither    friends    nor 

relations. 

73.  Be  always  ashamed  to   catch    thyself 

idle. 

74.*  Be  at  war  with  your  vices,  at  peace 
with  your  neighbors. 

75.  Beauty  and  folly  are  old  companions. 

'76.  Being   ignorant   is    not   so     much   a 
shame,  as  being  unwilling  to  learn. 

77.  Ben  beats  his  pate,    and    fancys    wit 
will  come ;  but  he  may  knock,  there's 
nobody  at  home. 

78.  Be  not  niggardly  of  what   costs  thee 
nothing,    as    courtesy,    counsel,    and 
countenance. 

79.  Be  slow  in  choosing  a  friend,   slower 
in  changing. 

80.  Better  is  a   little   with   content   than 

much  with  contention. 

81.  Better  slip  with  foot  than  tongue. 

82.  Beware,  beware!  He'll  cheat  without 
scruple,  who  can  without  fear. 

83.  Beware  of  him  that  is  slow  to  anger ; 
he  is  angry  for   something,   and  will 
not  be  pleased  for  nothing. 

84.*  Beware   of   little   expenses,  a   small 
leak  will  sink  a  great  ship. 


POOR   RICHARD'S    ALMANACK.  17 

85.*  Beware  of  meat  twice  boil'd,  and  an 
old  foe  reconcil'd. 

86.*  Beware  of  the  young  doctor  and  the 
old  barber. 

87.  Blame-all  and  praise-all  are  two  block 
heads. 

88.  Blessed  is   he   that   expects   nothing, 
for  he  shall  never  be  disappointed. 

89.  Buy  what  thou  hast  no  need  of;  and 
e'er  long  thou  shalt    sell  thy   neces- 
saries. 

90.  By     diligence      and      patience,      the 

mouse  bit  in  two  the  cable. 

91.  Calamity    and    prosperity     are    the 
touchstones  of  integrity. 

92.  Ceremony  is  not  civility;  nor  civility 
ceremony. 

93.*  Changing  countries    or   beds,    cures 
neither  a  bad  manager,  nor  a  fever. 

94.  Cheese    and    salt    meat    should    be 
sparingly  eat. 

95.*  Children  and  princes  will  quarrel  for 
trifles. 

96.  Clean  your  finger,  before    you    point 
at  my  spots. 

97.  Clearly   spoken,    Mr.  Fog!     You   ex- 
plain English  by  Greek. 


18  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

98.*  Content  and  riches  seldom  meet  to- 
gether. Riches  take  thou,  content- 
ment I  had  rather. 

99.  Content  is  the  philosopher's  stone, 
that  turns  all  it  touches  into  gold. 

100.*  Content  makes  poor  men  rich;  dis- 
content makes  ric!i  men  poor. 

101.  Courage  would  fight,  but  discretion 
won't  let  him. 

102.  Creditors  have  better  memories  than 
debtors. 

103.*  Cut  the  wings  of  your  hens  and 
hopes,  lest  they  lead  you  a  wary 
dance  after  them. 

104.  Danger  is  sauce  for  prayers. 

105.*  Dally  not  with  other  folks'  women 
or  money. 

106.  Death  takes  no  bribes. 

107.  Declaiming  against  pride,  is  not  al- 
ways a  sign  of  humility. 

108.*  Defer  not  thy  well  doing;  be  not 
like  St.  George,  who  is  always  on 
horseback,  and  never  rides  on. 

109.  Deny  self  for  self's  sake. 

110.*  Despair  ruins  some,  presumption 
many. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  19 

111.*  Different  sects  like  different  clocks, 
may  be  all  near  the  matter,  though 
they  don't  quite  agree. 

112.  Diligence  is  the  mother  of  good 
luck. 

113.*  Diligence  overcomes  difficulties, 
sloth  makes  them. 

114.  Distrust  and  caution  are  the  parents 
of  security. 

115.*  Do  good  to  thy  friend  to  keep  him, 
to  thy  enemy  to  gain  him. 

116.*  Doing  an  injury  puts  you  below 
your  enemy;  revenging  one  makes 
you  but  even  with  him ;  forgiving,  it 
sets  you  above  him. 

117.  Do  not  do  that  which  you  would  not 
have  known. 

118.  Do  me  the  favor  to  deny  me  at  once. 

119.*  Don't  go  to  the  doctor  with  every 
distemper,  nor  to  the  lawyer  with 
every  quarrel,  nor  to  the  pot  for 
every  thirst. 

120.*  Don't  judge  of  men's  wealth  or 
piety,  by  their  Sunday  appearances. 

121.*  Don't  misinform  your  doctor  nor 
your  lawyer. 

122.  Don't  overload  gratitude;  if  you  d«> 
she'll  kick. 


20  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

123.  Don't  think  to  hunt  two  hares  with 
one  dog. 

124.  Don't  throw  stones   at   your  neigh- 
bors, if  your  own  windows  are  glass. 

125.  Don't  value  a  man  for  the  quality  he 
is  of,  but   for  the   qualities   he   pos- 
sesses. 

126.  Dost  thou  love   life?    Then   do   not 
squander  time;  for    that's    the    stuff 
life  is  made  of. 

127.  Drink   does   not    drown    care,    but 
waters  it,  and  makes  it  grow  faster. 

128.*  Drink  water ;  put  the  money  in  your 
pocket,  and  leave  the  dry-bellyache 
in  the  punch-bowl. 

129.  Drive  thy  business,  or  it  will  drive 
thee. 

130.*  Drunkenness,  that  worst  of  evils, 
makes  some  men  fools,  some  beasts, 
some  devils. 

131.  Early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise,  makes 
a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise. 

132.  Eat  few  suppers,  and  you'll  need  few 
medicines. 

133.*  Eat  to  please  thyself,  but  dress  to 
please  others. 

134.  Employ  thy  time  well,  if  thou  mean- 
est to  gain  leisure. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  21 

135.  Ever  since  follies  have  pleased,  foob 
have  been  able  to  divert. 

136.*  Every  man  has  assurance  enough  to 
boast  of  his  honesty,  few  of  their 
understanding. 

137.  Experience  keeps  a  dear  school,  yet 

fools  will  learn  in  no  other. 

138.  Eyes  and  priests  bear  no  jests. 

139.  Fear   God,   and   your    enemies  will 
fear  you. 

140.*  Fear  not  death ;  for  the  sooner  we 
die,  the  longer  shall  we  be  im- 
mortal. 

141.  Fear  to  do  ill,  and  you  need  fear 
nought  else. 

142.*  Fine  linen,  girls  and  gold  so  bright, 
choose  not  to  take  by  candle  light. 

143.*  Fish  and  visitors  stink  in  three 
days. 

144.  Fly  pleasures  and  they'll  follow  you. 

145.*  Fond  pride  of  dress  is  sure  an 
empty  curse ;  e'er  fancy  you  consult, 
consult  your  purse. 

146.  Fools  make  feasts,  and  wise  men  eat 
'em. 

147.  Fools  multiply  folly. 

148.*  Fools  need  advice  most,  but  wise 
men  only  are  the  better  for  it. 


22  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

149.*  For  age  and  want  save  while  you 
may;  no  morning  sun  lasts  a  whole 
day. 

150.  For  one  poor  man  there  are  an  hun- 
dred indigent. 

151.*  For  want  of  a  nail  the  shoe  is  lost; 
for  want  of  a  shoe,  the  horse  is  lost ; 
for  want  of  a  horse  the  rider  is  lost, 

152.  Friendship   cannot   live   with    cere- 
mony, nor  without  civility. 

153.  Friendship     increases      by    visiting 
friends,  but  by  visiting  seldom. 

154.  Full  of  courtesy,  full  of  craft. 

155.  Generous  minds  are  all  of  kin. 

156.  Genius  without  education  is  like  sil- 
ver in  the  mine. 

157.  Gifts  burst  rocks. 

158.  Gifts  much  expected,    are   paid,  not 
given. 

159.*  Give  me  yesterday's  bread,  this 
day's  flesh,  and  last  year's  cyder. 

160.*  Glass,  china,  and  reputation  are 
easily  crack'd,  and  never  well 
mended. 

161.  God  gives  all  things  to  industry. 

162.  God  heals,  and  the  doctor  takes  the 
fees. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  23 

163.  God   helps   them    that  help    them- 
selves. 

164.  God,   parents,   and   instructors,   can 

never  be  requited. 

165.  Good  sense  is  a  thing   all  need,  few 
have,  and  none  think  they  want. 

166.  Good    wives    and   good   plantation* 
are  made  by  good  husbands. 

167.  Grace  thou  thy  house,    and   let   not 
that  grace  thee. 

168.  Graft  good  fruit  all,  or  graft  not  at 
all. 

169.  Great  almsgiving,  lessens  no  man's 
living. 

170.*  Great  estates   may   venture   more; 
little  boats  must  keep  near  shore. 

171.  Great    famine    when     wolves     eat 
wolves. 

172.  Great    good-nature,     without     pru- 
dence, is  a  great  misfortune. 

173.*  Great  merit  is  coy,  as  well  as  great 
pride. 

174.  Great   modesty    often    hides    great 
merit. 

175.  Great  spenders  are  bad  lenders. 

176.  Great  talkers,  little  doers. 

1  /.  Great  talkers    should   be   cropt,   for 
they've  no  need  of  ears. 


24  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

178.  Half  hospitality  opens  his  door  and 

shuts  up  his  countenance. 

179.  Half  the  truth  is  often  a  great  lie. 

180.  Half  wits  talk  much  but  say  little. 

181.  Happy  that   Nation,    fortunate   that 

age,  whose  history  is  not  diverting. 

182.  Happy's  the  wooing  that's  not  long 
a  doing. 

183.  Happy  Tom  Crump,   ne'er   sees   his 

own  hump. 

184.  Haste  makes  waste. 

185.  Harry   Smatter,    has   a    mouth    for 

every  matter. 

186.  Have  you  somewhat  to   do   to-mor- 
row; do  it  to-day. 

187.  Having  been  poor  is  no  shame,   but 
being  ashamed  of  it,  is. 

188.  Hear  no  ill  of  a  friend,  nor  speak  any 

of  an  enemy. 

189.  Hear  reason,  or  she'll  make  you  feel 

her. 

190.  He  does  not  possess   wealth,  it  pos- 

sesses him. 

191.  He  has  chang'd  his  one   ey'd  horse 

for  a  blind  one. 

192.  He  has  lost  his  boots,   but  sav'd  his 

spurs. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  26 

193.*  He  is  a  governor  that  governs  his 
passions,  and  he  a  servant  that 
serves  them. 

194.  He   is   ill   clothed,   who   is   bare   of 
virtue. 

195.  He  is  no  clown  that  drives  the  plow, 
but  he  that  doth  clownish  things. 

196.  He  is  not  well  bred,  that  cannot  bear 
ill-breeding  in  others. 

197.  Help,  hands ;  for  I  have  no  lands. 

198.  He  makes  a  foe,  who  makes  a  jest. 

199.  Here   comes   the    orator,   with    his 

flood  of  words,  and  his  drop  of  rea- 
son. 

200.  He's  a  fool  that  cannot   conceal   his 
wisdom. 

201.  He's  a  fool  that  makes  his  doctor  his 
heir. 

202.  He's  gone,  and   forgot   nothing  but 

to  say  farewell — to  his  creditors. 

203.  He's  the  best  physician  that   knows 
the  worthlessness  of  the  most  medi- 
cines. 

204.  He  that  best  understands  the  world, 
least  likes  it. 

205.*  He  that  builds  before  he  counts  the 
cost,  acts  foolishly;  and  he  that 


26  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

counts  before  he  builds,  finds  he  did 
not  count  wisely. 

206.  He  that  buys   by  the   penny,   main- 

tains not    only    himself,    but    other 
people. 

207.  He  that  by  the  plow   would   thrive, 
himself  must  either  hold  or  drive. 

208.  He   that   can   bear   a   reproof,    and 

mend  by  it,  if  he  is  not  wise,  is  in  a 
fair  way  of  being  so. 

209.  He    that   can    compose     himself,    is 

wiser  than  he  that  composes  books. 

210.  He  that  can  have  patience  can  have 
what  he  will. 

211.  He   that   cannot    bear    with    other 
people's  passions,  cannot  govern  his 
own. 

212.  He  that  cannot   obey,   cannot   com- 
mand. 

213.  He  that  can  take  rest  is  greater  than 

he  that  can  take  cities. 

214.  He  that  can  travel  well  afoot,  keeps 
a  good  horse. 

215.  He  that  doth   what   he   should   not, 
shall  feel  what  he  would  not. 

216.  He  that  drinks  fast,  pays  slow. 

217.  He  that  drinks  his   cyder  alone,    let 

him  catch  his  horse  alone. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  27 

218.  He  that  falls  in   love   with   himself, 

will  have  no  rivals. 

219.  He   that   goes   far   to     marry,    will 

either  deceive  or  be  deceived. 

220.  He  that  has  a  trade,  has  an  office  of 
profit  and  honor. 

221.  He  that  has  not  got  a  wife,  is  not 
yet  a  complete  man. 

222.  He  that  hath  a  trade,  hath  an  estate. 

223.  He  that  is  of  opinion  money  will  do 

everything  may   well  be    suspected 
of  doing  everything  for  money. 

224.*  He  that  is  rich  need  not  live  spar- 
ingly, and  he  that  can  live  sparing- 
ly, need  not  be  rich. 

225.  He  that  lies  down  with   dogs,   shall 
rise  up  with  fleas. 

226.  He  that  never  eats   too   much,   will 
never  be  lazy. 

227.  He  that  pays   for   work   before   it's 
done,  has    but    a   penny-worth    for 
two  pence. 

228.  He  that  pursues  two   hares  at  once, 
does  not   catch  one   and  let   t'other 
go. 

229.  He  that  resolves  to  mend  hereafter, 

resolves  not  to  mend  now. 


28  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

230.  He  that  riseth  late,  must  trot  all  day, 

and  shall  scarce    overtake  his  busi- 
ness by  night. 

231.  He  that  scatters  thorns,  let  him  not 
go  barefoot. 

232.*  He  that's  content  hath  enough;  he 
that  complains  has  too  much. 

233.  He  that  sells  upon  trust,  loses  many 

friends,  and  always  wants  money. 

234.  He  that  sows  thorns,    should   never 
go  barefoot. 

235.  He  that  speaks  ill  of  the  mare,  will 
buy  her. 

236.  He  that  speaks  much,  is  much  mis- 
taken. 

237.*  He  that  spills  the  rum  loses  that 
only;  he  that  drinks  it,  often  loses 
both  that  and  himself. 

238.  He  that  takes  a  wife,  takes  care. 

239.  He  that  waits  upon  fortune,  is  never 

sure  of  a  dinner. 

240.  He  that  won't  be  counsell'd,  can't  be 

help'd. 

241.  He  that  would  catch  fish,  must  ven- 

ture his  bait. 

242.  He  that  would   have  a   short   Lent, 
let  him  borrow  money  to  be  repaid 
at  Easter. 


POOR   RICHARP'S   ALMANACK.  29 

243.  He  that  would  live  in   peace   and  at 
ease,  must  not  speak   all  he  knows, 
nor  judge  all  he  sees. 

244.  He  that  would  rise  at  court,   must 

begin  by  creeping. 

245.  He  that  would  travel  much,  should 

eat  little. 

246.  He  who  multiplies  riches  multiplies 

cares. 

247.*  He  who  buys  had  need  have  100 
eyes,  but  one's  enough  for  him  that 
sells  the  stuff. 

248.*  Hold  your  council  before  dinner; 
the  full  belly  hates  thinking  as  well 
as  acting. 

249.  Honors  change  manners. 

250.  Honor  thy  father  and  mother,   i.  e., 

live   so  as  to  be  an   honor  to   them 
when  they  are  dead. 

251.*  Hope  and  a  red  rag,  are  baits  for 
men  and  mackrel. 

252.  Hope  of  gain  lessens  pain. 

253.  How  few  there  are  who  have  cour- 
age enough  to  own  their  faults. 

254.  Hunger  is  the  best  pickle. 

255.  Hunger  never  saw  bad  bread. 

256.  Idleness  is  the  Dead  Sea,  that  swal- 

lows all  virtues. 


30  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

257.  Idleness  is  the  greatest  prodigality. 

258.  If  it  were  not  for  the  belly,  the  back 
might  wear  gold. 

259.  If  Jack's  in  love,   he's   no   judge   of 
Jill's  beauty. 

260.  If  man  could  have    half  his   wishes, 

he  would  double  his  troubles. 

261.  If  passion  drives,  let  reason  hold  the 
reins. 

262.  If    pride    leads    the    van,    beggary 

brings  up  the  rear. 

263.  If  thou  hast  wit  and  learning,  add  to 
it  wisdom  and  modesty. 

264.  If  thou  injurest    conscience,    it   will 

have  its  revenge  on  thee. 

265.*  If  thou  would'st  live  long,  live 
well ;  for  folly  and  wickedness 
shorten  life. 

266.  If  wind  blows  on  you   thro'  a   hole, 

make  your    will    and    take    care    of 
your  soul. 

267.  If   worldly   goods   cannot   save   me 

from  death,  they   ought  not  to  hin- 
der me  to  eternal  life. 

268.  If  you'd  be  belov'd,    make    yourself 

amiable. 

269.  If  you    desire    many    things,    many 

things  seem  but  a  few. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  31 

270.  If  you'd  have  a  servant  that  you 
like,  serve  yourself. 

271.*  If  you'd  have  it  done,  go;  if  not, 
send. 

272.  If  you'd  know  the  value   of   money, 
go  and  borrow  some. 

273.  If  you'd  lose  a   troublesome  visitor, 

lend  him  money. 

274.  If  you  do  what  you  would  not,  you 

must  hear  what  you  would  not. 

275.  If  you  have  no  money  in  your  pot, 

have  some  in  your  mouth. 

276.  If  you  have  time  don't  wait  for  time. 

277.  If  you  know  how  to  spend  less  than 

you  get,  you  have  the  philisopher's 
stone. 

278.  If  your  head  is  wax,  don't  walk  in 
the  sun. 

279.*  If  you  ride  a  horse,  sit  close  and 
tight,  if  you  ride  a  man,  sit  easy  and 
light. 

280.  If  your  riches  are  }rours,  why   don't 

you    take   them   with    you    to    the 
other  world? 

281.  If  you  would  be  loved,  love  and  be 
lovable. 

282.  If  you  would  be  reveng'd  of  your 
enemy,  govern  yourself. 


32  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

283.  If   you   would   have   guests    merry 

with  cheer,  be  so  yourself,  or  so  at 
least  appear. 

284.  If  you  would  keep  your  secret  from 

an  enemy,  tell  it  not  to  a  friend. 

285.  If  you   would  not  be   forgotten   as 

soon  as  you  are  dead  and  rotten, 
either  write  things  worth  reading, 
or  do  things  worth  writing. 

286.  If  you  would  reap  praise   you   must 

sow  the  seeds,  gentle  words  and 
useful  deeds. 

287.*  Ignorance  leads  men  into  a  party, 
and  shame  keeps  them  from  getting 
out  again. 

288.*  I  have  never  seen  the  philosopher's 
stone  that  turns  lead  into  gold,  but 
I  have  known  the  pursuit  of  it  turn 
a  man's  gold  into  lead. 

289.*  Ill  company  is  like  a  dog  who  dirts 
those  most,  that  he  loves  best. 

290.  Ill  customs  and  bad  advice  are  sel- 
dom forgotten. 

291.*  "I'll  warrant  ye",  goes  before  rash- 
ness; "Who'd-a-tho't"  comes  sneak- 
ing after. 

292.*  Industry  pays  debts,  despair  in- 
creases them. 

293.  In  success  be  moderate. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  88 

294.  Interest  which  blinds   some   people, 

enlightens  others. 

295.  In  the  affairs  of  this  world  men  are 

saved,  not  by  faith,  but  by  the  want 
of  it. 

296.  I    saw   few   die   of   hunger,   of   eat- 

ing 100,000. 

297.  Is   there   anything   men   take    more 

pains  about   than  to    render    them- 
selves unhappy? 

298.  It  is  better   to   take   many   injuries, 

than  to  give  one. 

299.*  It, is    ill   jesting   with    the    joiner's 
tools,  worse  with  the  doctor's. 

300.*  It  is  ill-manners   to   silence  a   fool, 
and  cruelty  to  let  him  go  on. 

301.  It  is  not  leisure  that  is  not  used. 

302.*  It  is  wise  not  to  seek  a  secret,  and 
honest  not  to  reveal  it. 

303.  It's  common   for   men   to   give   pre- 

tended reasons  instead  of   one   real 
one. 

304.  It's  the  easiest   thing   in   the   world 

for  a  man  to  deceive  himself. 

305.  Jack   Little   sow'd   little,   and   little 

he'll  reap. 

306.*  Keep   flax   from   fire,   youth    from 
gaming. 


34  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

307.*  Keep  thou  from  the  opportunity, 
and  God  will  keep  thee  from  the 
sin. 

308.  Keep  thy  shop,  and  thy  shop  will 
keep  thee. 

309.*  Keep  your  eyes  wide  open  before 
marriage,  half  shut  afterwards. 

310.  Keep  your  mouth  wet,  feet  dry. 

311.*  Kings  and  bears  often  w.orry  their 
keepers. 

312.*  Kings  have  long  arms,  but  mis- 
fortune longer ;  let  none  think  them- 
selves out  of  her  reach. 

313.  Late  children,  early  orphans. 

314.*  Laws  like  to  cobwebs,  catch  small 
flies,  great  ones  break  through  be- 
fore your  eyes. 

315.*  Laws  too  gentle  are  seldom 
obeyed;  too  severe,  seldom  ex- 
ecuted. 

316.  Laziness  travels  so  slowly,  that  pov- 
erty soon  overtakes  him. 

317.*  Learn  of  the  skillful;  he  that 
teaches  himself,  hath  a  fool  for  his 
master. 

318.  Lend  money  to  an  enemy,  and 
thou'lt  gain  him,  to  a  friend  and 
thou'lt  lose  him. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  85 

319.*  Let  all  men  know  thee,  but  no  man 
know  thee  thoroughly;  men  freely 
ford  that  see  the  shallows. 

320.  Let  every  new  year  find  you  a  better 

man. 

321.  Let  thy  child's   first   lesson  be   obe- 

dience, and  the  second  may  be  what 
thou  wilt. 

322.*  Let  thy  discontents  be  thy  secrets; 
— if  the  world  knows  them  'twill  de- 
spise thee  and  increase  them. 

323.  Let  thy    maid-servant  be    faithful, 

strong,  and  homely. 

324.  Let  thy  vices  die  before  thee. 

325.  Liberality  is  not   giving   much,   but 
giving  wisely. 

326.  Light  gains,  heavy  purses. 

327.  Light  heel'd  mothers    make   leaden- 

heel'd  daughters. 

328.  Light  purse,  heavy  heart. 

329.  Little    rogues    easily   become   great 

ones. 

330.  Little  strokes   fell  great  oaks. 

331.  Look  before,  or  you'll  find  yourself 
behind. 

332.  Lost  time  is  never  found  again. 

333.  Love,  and  be  loved. 


36  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

334.*  Love,  cough,  and  a  smoke,  can't 
well  be  hid. 

335.*  Lover  and  Lordship  hate  com- 
panions. 

336.*  Lovers,  travellers,  am!  poets  will 
give  money  to  be  heard. 

337.  Love  well,  whip  well. 

338.  Love   your   enemies,    for    they   tell 
you  your  faults. 

339.  Love  your  neighbor;  yet   don't  pull 

down  your  hedge. 

340.  Lying  rides  upon  debt's  back. 

341.*  Mad  kings  and  mad  bulls,  are  not 
to  be  held  by  treaties  and  pack- 
thread. 

342.  Many  a  man's  own  tongue  gives  evi- 

dence against  his  understanding. 

343.  Many  a  man  would  have  been  worse, 

if  his  estate  had  been  better. 

344.  Many  a   meal   is  lost  for    want  of 

meat. 

345.  Many   complain   of   their    memory, 

few  of  their  judgment. 

346.  Many  dishes,  many  diseases. 

347.  Many  estates  are   spent  in   the   get- 
ting. 


POOR    RICHARD'S    ALMANACK.  37 

348.  Many   foxes   grow    grey,   but    few 
grow  good. 

349.  Many  have  quarrel'd  about  religion, 
that  never  practiced  it. 

350.  Many  medicines,  few  cures. 

351.  Many  princes  sin   with    David,    but 

few  repent  with  him. 

352.  Many  would  live  by  their  wits,  but 
break  for  want  of  stock. 

353.  Marry  above  thy  match,  and  thou'lt 
get  a  master. 

354.*  Marry  your  son  when  you  will,  but 
your  daughter  when  you  can. 

355.  Mary's  mouth  costs  her  nothing,  for 

she  never  opens  it  but  at  others  ex- 
pense. 

356.  Meanness  is  the  parent  of  insolence. 
357.*  Men  and  melons  are  hard  to  know. 

358.*  Men  differ  daily  about  things 
which  are  subject  to  sense,  is  it  like- 
ly then  they  should  agree  about 
things  invisible? 

359.*  Men  meet,  mountains  never. 

360.  Men  often  mistake  themselves,    sel- 

dom forget  themselves. 

361.  Men  take  more  pains   to   mask  than 

mend. 


38  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

362.  Money  and  good  manners  make  the 
gentleman. 

363.*  Money  and  man  a  mutual  friend- 
ship show ;  man  makes  false  money, 
money  makes  man  so. 

364.  Most    fools    think    they    are    only 
ignorant. 

365.  Most  of  the  learning  in  use,  is  of  no 
great  use. 

366.*  Most  people  return  small  favors, 
acknowledge  middling  ones,  and  re- 
pay great  ones  with  ingratitude. 

367.*  Much  virtue  in  herbs,  little  in  men. 

368.  Necessity  has  no  law;  I  know  some 
attorneys  of  the  same. 

369.  Necessity  has  no   law;  Why?    Be- 
cause, 'tis   not   to   be   had   without 
money. 

370.  Necessity  never   made  a   good   bar- 
gain. 

371.  Ne'er  take   a   wife   till  thou   hast   a 
house  (and  a  fire)  to  put  her  in. 

372.*  Neglect  kills  injuries,  revenge  in- 
creases them. 

373.  Neglect  mending  a  small    fault,  and 
'twill  soon  be  a  great  one. 

374.  Neither    praise    nor    dispraise,    till 
seven  Christmasses  be  over. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  39 

375.  Never  intreat  a  servant  to  dwell 
with  thee. 

376.*  Never  praise  your  cyder,  horse,  or 
s  bedfellow. 

377.  Never  spare  the  parson's   wine,  nor 

the  baker's  pudding. 

378.  Nice  eaters  seldom  meet  with  a  good 
dinner. 

379.  Nick's  passions  grow  fat  and  hearty ; 
his  understanding    looks    consump- 
tive. 

380.  Nine  men  in  ten  are  suicides. 

381.  No  gains  without  pains. 

382.  No  man  e'er  was  glorious  who  was 
not  laborious. 

383.  None   are   deceived    but  they    that 
confide. 

384.*  None  know  the  unfortunate,  and 
the  fortunate  do  not  know  them- 
selves. 

385.  None  preaches  better  than   the  ant, 
and  she  says  nothing. 

386.  No    resolution    repenting   hereafter, 

can  be  sincere. 

387.*  Nor  eye  in  a  letter,  nor  hand  in  a 
purse,  nor  ear  in  the  secret  of  an- 
other. 


40  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

388.  Nothing  but  money  is  sweeter  than 
honey. 

389.  Nothing  drys  sooner  than  a  tear. 

390.  Nothing     humbler     than     ambition, 
when  it  is  about  to  climb. 

391.  Nothing   more   like   a   fool,   than   a 
drunken  man. 

392.  Nothing  so  popular  as  goodness. 

393.  Now  I've  a  sheep  and  a  cow,  every 
body  bids  me  good  morrow. 

394.  No  wood  without  bark. 

395.*  No  workman  without  tools,  nor 
lawyer  without  fools,  can  live  by 
their  rules. 

396.  Observe  all  men;  thyself  most. 

397.  Observe  old  Vellum;  he  praises  for- 

mer times,  as  if  he'd  a  mind  to  sell 
'em. 

398.  Of  learned   fools   I   have    seen   ten 
times  ten ;  of  unlearned  wise  men  I 
have  seen  a  hundred. 

399.  O  Lazy-bones !  Dost  thou  think  God 
would  have    given    thee    arms    and 
legs,  if   he   had   not   design'd   thou 
should'st  use  them. 

400.  Old  boys  have    their   playthings    as 
well  as  young  ones;  the    difference 
is  only  in  the  price. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  41 

401.  Old  young  and  old  long. 

402.*  One  good,  husband  is  worth  two 
good  wives;  for  the  scarcer  things 
are  the  more  they're  valued. 

403.  One  may  be  more  cunning  than  an- 
other, but  not  more  cunning  than 
everybody  else. 

404.*  One  mend-fault  is  worth  two  find- 
faults,  but  one  find-fault  is  better 
than  two  make-faults. 

405.  One  to-day  is  worth  two  to-mor- 
rows. 

406.*  Onions  can  make  ev'n  heirs  and 
widows  weep. 

407.*  Pain  wastes  the  body;  pleasures 
the  understanding. 

408.  Pardoning  the   bad,  is   injuring   the 
good. 

409.  Patience  in  market,  is  worth  pounds 

in  a  year. 

410.  Pay  what  you  owe,  and  you'll  know 
what's  your  own. 

411.  Philosophy  as  well  as  foppery  often 

changes  fashion. 

412.  Plough  deep,  while  sluggards  sleep. 

413.  Pollio,    who    values    nothing     that's 
within,    buys    books    as    men    hunt 
beavers, — for  their  skin. 


42  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

414.  Poor  Dick  eats  like  a  well  man,  and 

drinks  like  a  sick. 

415.  Poor  Plain  Dealing!     Dead  without 

issue. 

416.*  Poverty,  poetry,  and  new   titles   of 
honor,  make  men  ridiculous. 

417.*  Poverty  wants  some  things,  luxury 
many  things,  avarice  all  things. 

418.  Praise  to  the  undeserving  is  severe 
satire. 

419.  Pray,  don't  burn  my  house  to  roast 
your  eggs. 

420.  Prayers   and   provender    hinder   no 
journey. 

421.  Presumption  first  blinds  a  man,  then 

sets  him  a  running. 

422.  Pretty  and  witty,  will  wound  if  they 
hit  ye. 

423.*  Pride  and  the  gout  are  seldom  cur'd 
throughout. 

424.  Pride  breakfasted  with  plenty,  dined 
with  poverty,  supped  with  infamy. 

425.  Pride   dines    upon  vanity,   sups   on 
contempt. 

426.  Pride  is   as  loud  a  beggar  as   want, 
and  a  great  deal  more  saucy. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  48 

427.  Pride  gets  into  the  coach,  and  shame 

mounts  behind. 

428.  Proclaim  not  all   thou   knowest,   all 
thou  owest,  all   thou   hast,   nor   all 
thou  canst. 

429.  Prodigality  of  time,    produces   pov- 
erty of  mind  as  well  as  of  estate. 

430.  Promises  may  get  thee  friends,  but 
non-performance  will  turn  them  in- 
to enemies. 

431.*  Proud  modern  learning  despises 
the  ancient.  School-men  are  now 
laughed  at  by  school-boys. 

432.  Quarrels  never  could  last  long,  if  on 
one  side  only  lay  the  wrong. 

433.  Rather  go   to   bed   supperless,   than 
run  in  debt  for  a  breakfast. 

434.*  Reading  makes  a  full  man,  medita- 
tion a  profound  man,  discourse  a 
clear  man. 

435.  Read  much,  but  not  many  books. 

436.*  Retirement  does  not  always  secure 
virtue ;  Lot  was  upright  in  the  city, 
wicked  in  the  mountain. 

437.  Rob  not  for  burnt  offerings. 

438.*  Rob  not  God,  nor  the  poor,  lest 
thou  ruin  thyself;  the  eagle 
snatched  a  coal  from  the  altar,  but 
it  fired  her  nest. 


44  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

439.  Samson  with  his  strong   body,    had 

a  weak  head,  or  he  would  not  have 
laid  in  a  harlot's  lap. 

440.  Saying  and  doing  have  quarrel'd  and 
parted. 

441.*  Search  others  for  their  virtues,  thy- 
self for  thy  vices. 

442.*  Sell  not  virtue  to  purchase  wealth, 
nor  liberty  to  purchase  power. 

443.*  Silence  is  not  always  a  sign  of 
wisdom,  but  babbling  is  ever  a  mark 
of  folly. 

444.  Silks  and  satins  put  out  the  kitchen 
fire. 

445.  Since  thou  art  not  sure  of  a  minute, 

throw  not  away  an  hour. 

446.*  Singularity  in  the  right,  hath 
ruined  many;  happy  those  who  are 
convinced  of  the  general  opinion. 

447.  Sleep    without    supping,    and   you'll 

rise  without  owing  for  it. 

448.  Sloth  and    silence    are  a    fool's   vir- 
tues. 

449.*  Sloth  (like  rust)  consumes  faster 
than  labor  wears.  The  used  key  is 
always  bright. 

450.  Snowy  winter,  a  plentiful  harvest. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  45 

451.*  Some  are  justly  laughed  at  for 
keeping  their  money  foolishly, 
others  for  spending  it  idly ;  he  is  the 
greatest  fool  that  lays  it  out  in  a 
purchase  of  repentance. 

452.  Some    are    weatherwise,     some    are 
otherwise. 

453.  Some  make  conscience  of  wearing  a 
hat  in  the  church,   who  make   none 
of  robbing  the  altar. 

454.  Sorrow  is  good  for  nothing  but  sin. 

455.  Spare  and  have  is  better  than  spend 
and  crave. 

456.*  Speak  and  speed;  the  close  mouth 
catches  no  flies. 

457.  Speak  little,  do  much. 

458.*  Speak  with  contempt  of  none,  from 
slave  to  king;  the  meanest  bee  hath, 
and  will  use,  a  sting. 

459.  Strange!  that  a   man   who   has   wit 

enough    to    write    a    satire,    should 
have  folly  enough  to  publish  it. 

460.  Strange,  that  he  who  lives  by  shifts, 
can  seldom  shift  himself. 

461.*  Strive  to  be  the  greatest  man  in 
your  country,  and  you  may  be  dis- 
appointed ;  strive  to  be  the  best,  and 
you  may  succeed ;  he  may  well  win 
the  race  that  runs  by  himself. 


46  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

462.  Success  has  ruin'd  many  a  man. 

463.*  Sudden  power  is  apt  to  be  insolent, 
sudden  liberty  saucy;  that  behaves 
best  which  has  grown  gradually. 

464.  Suspicion  may  be  no  fault,  but 
showing  it  may  be  a  great  one. 

465.*  Take  counsel  in  wine,  but  resolve 
afterwards  in  water. 

466.  Take  courage,    mortal;    death    can't 

banish  thee  out  of  the  universe. 

467.  Take  heed  of  the   vinegar   of   sweet 

wine,  and  the  anger  of  good-nature. 

468.  Take    this    remark    from    Richard, 
poor  and  lame,  whatever  is  begun  in 
anger,  ends  in  shame. 

469.*  Talking  against  religion  is  un- 
chaining a  tiger;  the  beast  let  loose 
may  worry  his  deliverer. 

470.*  Tart  words  make  no  friends;  a 
spoonful  of  honey  will  catch  more 
flies  than  a  gallon  of  s  vinegar. 

471.  Teach  your  child  to  hold  his  tongue, 
he'll  learn  fast  enough  to  speak. 

472.*  Tell  a  miser  he's  rich,  and  a  woman 
she's  old,  you'll  get  no  money  of 
one,  nor  kindness  of  t'other. 

473.  Tell  me  my  faults,  and  mend  your 
own. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  4T 

474.  The  absent  are  never  without  fault, 
nor  the  present  without  excuse. 

475.*  The  ancients  tell  us  what  is  best, 
but  we  must  learn  of  the  moderns 
what  is  fittest. 

476.  The  bell  calls  others  to  church,  but 

itself  never  minds  the  sermon. 

477.  The  bird  that  sits,  is  easily  shot. 

478.  The  brave   and   the   wise   can  both 
pity  and  excuse,  when  cowards  and 
fools  shew  no  mercy. 

479.*  The  busy  man  has  few  idle  visitors ; 
to  the  boiling  pot  the  flies  come  not. 

480.  The  cat  in  gloves  catches  no  mice. 

481.  The    creditors    are    a     superstitious 

sect,    great    observers   of   set    days 
and  times. 

482.*  The  cunning  man  steals  a  horse,  the 
wise  man  lets  him  alone. 

493.  The  devil  sweetens  poison  with 
honey. 

484.  The  discontented  man  finds  no  easy 

chair. 

485.  The  doors  of  wisdom  are  never  shut. 

486.  The  end  of  passion  is  the  beginning 

of  repentance. 

487.*  The  excellency  of  hogs  is  fatness,  of 
men  virtue. 


48  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

488.  The  eye  of  a  master,   will   do   more 
work  than  his  hand. 

489.  The  family  of  fools  is  ancient. 

490.  The   favor   of   tLe   great   is    no   in- 

heritance. 

491.  The    generous    mind     least   regards 

money,  and  yet  most  feels  the  want 
of  it. 

492.  The  golden  age  never  was  the  pres- 

ent age. 

493.  The  good  pay-master  is  lord   of  an- 

other man's  purse. 

494.  The  good  or  ill  hap  of  a  good  or  ill 
life,  is  the  good   or   ill   choice  of  a 
good  or  ill  wife. 

495.*  The  heart  of  the  fool  is  in  his 
mouth,  but  the  mouth  of  the  wise 
man  is  in  his  heart. 

496.  The  heathens  when  they  dy'd,  went 
to  bed  without  a  candle. 

497.*  The  honest  man  takes  pains,  and 
then  enjoys  pleasures;  the  knave 
takes  pleasures,  and  then  suffers 
pains. 

498.*  The  honey  is  sweet,  but  the  bee  has 
a  sting. 

499.  The  horse  thinks  one  thing,  and  he 
that  saddles  him  another. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  49 

500.  The  idle  man  is  the  devil's  hireling; 

whose  livery  is  rags,  whose  diet  and 
wages  are  famine  and  diseases. 

501.  The  king's  cheese  is  half  wasted   in 

parings;  but  no    matter,    'tis    made 
of  the  people's  milk. 

502.  The  learned  fool  writes  his  nonsense 

in   better   language    than   the    un- 
learned ;  but  still  'tis  nonsense. 

503.*  The  magistrate  should  obey  the 
laws,  the  people  should  obey  the 
magistrate. 

504.  The  master's  eye  wil  do  more  work 

than  both  his  hands. 

505.  The  miser's  cheese  is  wholesom'st. 

506.  The  most  exquisite  folly  is  made  of 

wisdom  spun  too  fine. 

507.  The  muses  love  the  morning. 

508.  The  nearest  way   to  come  to   glory, 

is  to  do  that  for    conscience    which 
we  do  for  glory. 

509.  The  noblest  question  in  the  world  is, 

what  good  may  I  do  in  it? 

510.*  The  old  man  has  given  all  to  his 
son ;  O  fool !  to  undress  thyself  be- 
fore thou  art  going  to  bed. 

511.*  The  painful  preacher,  like  a  candle 
bright,  consumes  himself  in  giving 
others  light. 


60  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

512.  The  poor  have  little,  beggars  none, 
the  rich  too  much,  enough  not  one. 

513.*  The  poor  man  must  walk  to  get 
meat  for  his  stomach,  the  rich  man 
to  get  a  stomach  to  his  meat. 

514.  The  prodigal  generally  does  more 
injustice  than  the  covetous. 

515.*  The  proof  of  gold  is  fire;  the  proof 
of  woman,  gold;  the  proof  of  man, 
a  woman. 

516.  The  proud  hate  pride — in  others. 

517.  There  are  lazy  minds  as  well  as  lazy 

bodies. 

518.  There  are  no  fools  so  troublesome  as 

those  that  have  wit. 

519.*  There  are  no  ugly  loves,  nor  hand- 
some prisons. 

520.  There  are  three  faithful  friends,  an 
old  wife,  an  old  dog,  and  ready 
money. 

521.*  There  are  three  things  extremely 
hard,  steel,  a  diamond  and  to  know 
one's  self. 

522.  There  is  neither  honor  nor  gain   got 

in  dealing  with  a  villian. 

523.  There  is  no  little  enemy. 

524.  There  is  no  man  so  bad   but  he  se- 

cretly respects  the  good. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  61 

525.  There   is   much    difference   between 

imitating  a  good  man,  and  counter- 
feiting him. 

526.  There's  a  time  to  wink  as  well  as  to 

see. 

527.  There're    many    witty   men    whose 

brains  can't  fill  their  bellies. 

528.  There's    more   old   drunkards,    than 

old  doctors. 

529.  There's  none   deceived  but  he  that 

trusts. 

530.  There's  small  revenge  in  words,  but 

words  may  be  greatly  revenged. 

531.  There  was  never  a  good  knife  made 

of  bad  steel. 

532.  They  who  have  nothing   to   trouble 

them,  will  be  troubled  at  nothing. 

533.*  The  rivers  and    bad    governments, 
the  lightest  things  swim  at  top. 

534.  The    rotten   apple   spoils    his    com- 

panion. 

535.  The  royal  crown  cures  not  the  head- 
ache. 

536.  The  same  man  cannot  be  both  friend 

and  flatterer. 

537.  The  sleeping  fox  catches  no  poultry. 

Up!  up! 


52 POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

538.  The  second  vice  is  lying;  the  first  is 

running  in  debt. 

539.  The  sting  of  a  reproach  is  the  truth 

of  it. 

540.  The  sun   never  repents  of  the   good 

he  does,  nor  does  he  ever  demand  a 
recompence. 

541.  The  things  which  hurt,  instruct. 

542.  The  tongue  is   ever  turning  to   the 

aching  tooth. 

543.  The  tongue  offends,  and  the  ears  get 

the  cuffing. 

544.  The  too  obliging  temper  is  evermore 

disobliging  itself. 

545.  The  way  to  be  safe,  is   never  to  be 

secure. 

546.*  The  way  to  see  by  faith,  is  to  shut 
the  Eye  of  Reason.  The  morning 
daylight  appears  plainer  when  you 
put  out  your  candle. 

547.  The  wise  man    draws   more   advan- 

tage from  his  enemies,  than  the  fool 
from  his  friends. 

548.  The  worst  wheel  of  the   cart  makes 

the  most  noise. 

549.*  The  wolf  sheds  his  coat  once  a  year, 
his  disposition  never. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  58 

550.*  Think  of  three  things,  whence  you 
came,  where  you  are  going,  and  to 
whom  you  must  account. 

551.  Thirst  after  desert,  not  reward. 

552.*  Tho'  modesty  is  a  virtue,  bashful- 
ness  is  a  vice. 

553.  Those    that    have     much    business 

must  have  much  pardon. 

554.  Those  who  are  fear'd,  are  hated. 

555.  Those   who   in    quarrels     interpose, 

must  often  wipe  a  bloody  nose. 

556.  Tho'  the  mastiff  be  gentle,   yet  bite 

him  not  by  the  lip. 

557.  Thou  canst  not  joke  an  enemy  into 

a  friend;  but   thou  may'st  a   friend 
into  an  enemy. 

558.  Three  good  meals  a   day  is   bad  liv- 

ing. 

559.  Three  may  keep  a  secret,   if  two  of 

them  are  dead. 

560.*  Three  things  are  men  most  likely  to 
be  cheated  in,  a  horse,  a  wig,  and  a 
wife. 

561.*  Tim  and  his  handsaw  are  good  in 
their  place,  tho'  not  fit  for  preaching 
or  shaving  a  face. 

562.  Time  enough  always  proves  little 
enough. 


54  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

563.  Time  is  an  herb  that  cures  all  dis- 
eases. 

564.*  Tim  was  so  learned,  that  he  could 
name  a  horse  in  nine  languages.  So 
ignorant,  that  he  bought  a  cow  to 
ride  on. 

565.*  'Tis  against  some  men's  principle  to 
pay  interest,  and  seems  against 
others'  interest  to  pay  the  principal. 

566.  'Tis  a  laudable  ambition,   that   aims 

at  being  better  than  his  neighbors. 

567.  'Tis  a  shame  that  your  family  is  an 
honor  to  you !    You  ought  to  be  an 
honor  to  your  family. 

568.*  'Tis  a  strange  forest  that  has  no 
rotten  wood  in  it,  and  a  strange  kin- 
dred that  all  are  good  in  it. 

569.  'Tis  better   leave   for   an    enemy   at 

one's  d^ath,  than  beg  of  a  friend  in 
one's  life. 

570.  JTis  easier   to   build   two   chimneys, 

than  maintain  one  in  fuel. 

571.  'Tis   easier   to   prevent    bad   habits 

tnan  to  break  them. 

572.  'Tis  easy  to  see,  hard  to  foresee. 

573.  'Tis  easier  to  suppress  the   first   de- 

sire, than  to  satisfy  all  that    follow 
it. 


POOR   RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  55 

574.  'Tis  great  confidence  in  a  friend  to 

tell  him  your  faults,  greater  to  tell 
him  his. 

575.  'Tis  hard  (but  glorious)  to  be  poor 
and  lionest. 

576.*  'Tis  less  discredit  to  abridge  petty 
charges,  than  to  stoop  to  petty  get- 
tings. 

577.  Tis  not  a   holiday   that's   not   kept 
holy. 

578.  'Tis  a  well  spent  penny  that  saves  a 

groat. 

579.  To    bear   other   people's    afflictions, 

every  one  has  courage  enough,  and 
to  spare. 

580.*  To  be  intimate  with  a  foolish 
friend,  is  like  going  to  bed  with  a 
razor. 

581.*  To  be  proud  of  knowledge,  is  to  be 
blind  with  light;  to  be  proud  of 
virtue,  is  to  poison  yourself  with 
the  antidote. 

582.  To-day  is  yesterday's  pupil. 

583.*  To  err  is  human,  to  repent  divine,  to 
persist  devilish. 

584.  To  lengthen  thy  life,  lessen  thy 
meals. 


56  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

585.  To-morrow  every  fault  is  to  be 
amended ;  but  that  to-morrow  never 
comes. 

586.*  Tom,  vain's  your  pains;  they  all 
will  fail;  ne'er  was  good  arrow 
made  of  a  sow's  tail. 

587.  Tongue  double,  brings  trouble. 

588.  Too    much    plenty     makes     mouth 

dainty. 

589.  To  whom  thy  secret  thou  dost  tell,  to 

him  thy  freedom  thou  dost  sell. 

590.  Tricks  and  treachery   are   the   prac- 

tice   of   fools,     that   have    not    wit 
enough  to  be  honest. 

591.*  Trouble  springs  from  idleness;  toil 
from  ease. 

592.  Trust  thyself,  and  another  shall  not 

betray  thee. 

593.  Two  dry   sticks   will   burn   a  green 

one. 

594.*  Up,  sluggard,  and  waste  not  life ;  in 
the  grave  will  be  sleeping  enough. 

595.  Vain-glory  flowereth,  but  beareth  no 

fruit. 

596.  Vanity  backbites  more  than  malice. 

597.  Vice  knows  she's  ugly,   so   puts   on 
her  mask. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  57 

598.  Virtue  and  a  trade,  are  a  child's  best 
portion. 

599.  Virtue    and    happiness    are     mother 

and  daughter. 

600.*  Virtue  may  not  always  make  a  face 
handsome,  but  vice  will  certainly 
make  it  ugly. 

601.*  Visits  should  be  short,  like  a  win- 
ter's day;  lest  you're  too  trouble- 
some hasten  away. 

602.*  Visit  your  aunt,  but  not  every  day ; 
and  call  at  your  brother's,  but  not 
every  night. 

603.  Want  of  care  does  us  more  damage 
than  want  of  knowledge. 

604.  Wars  bring  scars. 

605.*  We  are  not  so  sensible  of  the  great- 
est health  as  of  the  least  sickness. 

606.  Wealth  is  not  his  that  has  it,  but  his 

that  enjoys  it. 

607.  Weighty    questions    ask   for   delib- 

erate answers. 

608.  Welcome,  mischief,  if   thou    comest 

alone. 

609.  Well  done  is  better  than  well  said. 

610.  Well  done,  is  twice  done. 

611.  We  may  give  advice,  but  we  cannot 

give  conduct. 


58  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

612.*  What  is  a  butterfly  at  best?  He's 
but  a  caterpillar  dressed,  the  gaudy 
fop's  his  picture  just. 

613.*  What's  given  shines,  what's  re- 
ceiv'd  is  rusty. 

614.  What  signifies  knowing  the   names, 

if  you  know  not  the  nature  of 
things. 

615.  What  signifies  your  patience,  if  you 

can't  find  it  when  you  want  it. 

616.*  What's  proper  is  becoming;  see  the 
blacksmith  with  his  white  silk 
apron. 

617.  What  you   would  seem    to  be,  be 
really. 

618.  When  a  friend  deals   with  a   friend, 

let  the  bargain  be  clear  and  well 
penn'd,  that  they  may  continue 
friends  to  the  end. 

619.*  When  befriended,  remember  it; 
when  you  befriend,  forget  it. 

620.*  When  death  puts  out  your  flame, 
the  snuff  will  tell,  if  we  were  wax 
or  tallow  by  the  smell. 

621.  When  knaves  betray  each  other,  one 
can  scarce  be  blamed  or  the  other 
pitied. 


POOR    RICHARD'S    ALMANACK.  6» 

622.*  When  knaves  fall  out,  honest  men 
get  their  goods;  when  priests  dis- 
pute, we  come  at  the  truth. 

623.  When  out  of  favor,  none  know  thee ; 

when  in,  thou   dcst  not  know   thy- 
self. 

624.  When  prosperity  was  well  mounted, 

she  let  go  the  bridle,  and  soon  came 
tumbling  out  of  the  saddle. 

625.  When  reason  preaches,  if  you  won't 
hear  her,  she'll  box  your  ears. 

626.  When    there's    more    malice    shown 

than  matter,  on  Jie  writer  falls  the 
satire. 

627.  When  the  well's  dry,  we   know   the 

worth  of  water. 

628.  When  the  wine  enters,  out  goes  the 
truth. 

629.  When  'tis   fair,   be   sure   take   your 
coat  with  you. 

630.  When  you're  good  to  othere,  you  are 
best  to  yourself. 

631.*  When  you  speak  to  a  man,  look  on 
his  eyes;  when  he  speaks  to  thee, 
look  on  his  mouth. 

632.  When  you    taste    honey,    remember 

gall. 

633.  Where  bread  is  wanting,  all's  to  be 

sold. 


60  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

634.  Where  good  laws  are,  much  people 
flock  thither. 

635.  Where  sense  is  wanting,  everything 

is  wanting. 

636.  Where    there's   no    law,    there's   no 

bread. 

637.*  Where  there  is  hunger,  law  is  not 
regarded;  and  where  law  is  not  re- 
garded, there  will  be  hunger. 

638.  Where     there's     marriage     without 
love,    there    will   be   love    without 
marriage. 

639.  Where    yet    was    ever    found    the 

mother,  who'd  change  her  baby  for 
another? 

640.*  Wide  will  wear,  but  narrow  will 
tear. 

641.*  Wink  at  small  faults;  remember 
thou  hast  great  ones. 

642.  Wish  not  so  much  to  live  long  as  to 

live  well. 

643.  Without  justice  courage  is  weak. 

644.  With  the  old  almanack  and  the  old 
year,  leave  thy  old  vice,  tho'  ever  so 
dear. 

645.  Who   dainties    love,   shall    beggars 

prove. 


POOR    RICHARD'S   ALMANACK.  61 

646.  Who   has   deceived    thee   so   oft   as 
thyself? 

647.  Who  is  powerful?  He  that   governs 

his  passions. 

648.  Who  is  rich  ?    He  that  is  content. 

649.  Who  is  rich?     He    that   rejoices   in 

his  portion. 

650.  Who  is  strong?    He  that   can   con- 

quer his  bad  habits. 

651.  Who  is  wise?     He  that  learns  from 
every  one. 

652.  Who   judges   best    of   a    man,     his 

enemies  or  himself? 

653.  Who  knows  a  fool,   must   know  his 
brother;    for    one    will    recommend 
another. 

654.  Willows  are  weak,  but  they  bind  the 

faggot. 

655.  Wish  a  miser  long  life,  and  you  wish 

him  no  good. 

656.*  Women  and  wine,  game  and  deceit, 
make  the  wealth  small  and  the 
wants  great. 

657.  Words  may  show  a  man's   wit,   but 

actions  his  meaning. 

658.  Would  you  live  wiih  ease,  do  what 
you  ought,  and  not  what  you  please. 


62  POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK. 

659.  Would  you  persuade,  speak  of  in- 
terest, not  of  reason. 

660.*  Write  injuries  in  dust,  benefits  in 
marble. 

661.*  Write  with  the  learned,  pronounce 
with  the  vulgar. 

662.  Why  does  the  blind  man's  wife  paint 
herself? 

663.*  You  can  bear  your  own  faults,  and 
why  not  a  fault  in  your  wife. 

664.  You  may  be  too  cunning  for  one,out 

not  for  all. 

665.  You  may  delay,  but  time  will  not. 

666.  You  may  give  a  man   an  office,  but 

you  cannot  give  him  discretion. 

667.  You  may  talk  too  much  on  the  best 

subjects. 

668.  You  may  sometimes  be  much  in  the 

wrong,  in  owning  your  being  in  the 
right. 

659.*  Youth  is  pert  and  positive,  age 
modest  and  doubting;  so  ears  of 
corn  when  young  and  light,  stand 
bolt  upright,  but  hang  their  heads 
when  weighty,  full,  and  ripe. 

670.*  You  will  be  careful,  if  you  are  wise ; 
how  you  touch  men's  religion,  or 
credit,  or  eyes. 


A  star  preceding  a  saying  signifies  that 
it  is  to  be  taken  as  expressing  two  distinct 
and  different  thoughts. 


02033 


:.*'*, 


